Lamp socket



`Oct. 14, 1941. H. H. HEIDKAMPER 2,259,378

V LAMP SOCKET Filed Sept. 5, 1940 7 l f ff@ f f7 #im f6 7.? W

. lg y 29 17% 43 1f] z H F' x rF/{gO--gl /5 7 1.4 f@ 5 f f7 HrmanHHeztZm/jmr atented ct. i4, i94

lUNITI-:D STATES PATENT oFFici:

LAMP SOCKET Herman H. HeidkampenKalamazoo,l Mich.

Application September 5, 1940, Serial No. 355,509

u 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved construction-of lamp socket for high voltage iluorescent interior lighting lamps and aims to provide a form of socket which may be used by the general public'for removing, applying or replacing a fluorescent lamp without employing the l services of a skilled electrician or service man, as

is now generally required.

Still another aim of lthe invention is to provide a construction of lamp socket by means of which a neat installation may be accomplished with all contacts concealed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View partly in section showing a fluorescent lampmounted between a pair of lamp sockets constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged. fragmentary vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing one of the lamp sockets attached to an end of a fluorescent lamp,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation showing a portion hf. one of the lamp sockets attached to an end of-the lamp, and

Figuretis an end view in elevation looking toward the clip of one of the lamp sockets.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, IIJ designates generally a suitableA base member on which is mounted a pair of housing or casing members II which are disposed in spaced apart relationship relatively to one another and which are provided at their adjacent sides with alined openings I2 for receiving socket members I3 of non-conducting material such as porcelain. The socket members I3 are each provided with a flanged outer end I4 for engaging the. outer side of the wall of the casing or housing IIin which the opening I2 is formed. The socket members I3 are each externally threaded at I5 to receive a strand of wire I6 which is coiled to form threads for engaging the threads I5 and which is provided withoutwardly projecting U-shaped terminals Il which engage the irmer side of the aforementioned wall of the casing II for holding the socket I3 in position in the opening I2. It will thus be seen that the strands of wire I5 are constructed and arranged to form nuts.

The sockets I3 are each provided with a recess I8 which opens outwardly of its flanged end I4 and which, as illustrated, diverges toward. its open, outer end. The sockets I3 at their inner ends' are provided with wall portions I9, each of which is provided with a contact post formed of a nut and bolt. An expansion coil spring 2l is disposed in each of the recesses I8 and attached at one end to the contact post 20 which is associated with the socket I3 which is provided with said recess.

A metallic spider 22' formed of two pairs of .crossed arms has a central opening through which projects a bolt 23 which is provided with a substantially flat head between which and the spider 22 is disposed a washer 24. A disk 25 and nut `2li is carried by the shank end' of the bolt 23 `and the opposite end of the spring 2| is clamped between the' disk 25 and the outer side of the spider 22. The ends of the arms of the spider 22 are bent outwardly and extend in the same direction to form spring lingers 21 which are adapted to yieldably engage the metallic end 28 of a fluorescent high voltage lamp 29. The fluorescent lamp 29 is of conventional construction and contains a filament, not shown, which is electrically connected to the metallic end or cap 28.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that one end of the fluorescent lamp 29 may be inserted into the recess I8 of one of the sockets I3 and the metallic member -28 thereofinserted into and resiliently engaged by the spring fingers 2l of the spider 22 which is disposed within said socket.

The fluorescent lamp 29 is then pressed inwardly of said socket I3 to compress the spring 2l thereof sufciently so that the opposite end of the iluorescent lamp may be inserted into the recess I8 of the other socket I3 and similarly connected to the spider 22 thereof so that -the lamp 29 will be resiliently mounted therebetween. It is to be understood that one of the contact posts 29 is adapted to be connected to a positive conductor wire and the other contact post 20 is adapted to beconnected to a negative conductor wire, said wires not being shown, to complete a circuit from the positive conductor wire through the Contact post 20 to which it is connect'edfl through the spring 2| connected to said Contact post, through the spider 22 connected to said spring, through the fingers 2l or the bolt 23 of said spider to the metallic cap 28 at the end of the fluorescent lamp 29 which is mounted in said spider, through the filamentof the lamp and then through the corresponding parts ofthe plated and may obviously be resorted to, as only g, a preferred embodiment of theY invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my Invention: A support and electrical connection for mounting an end of a fluorescent .lamp,`comprisinga xedly disposed socket of insulating material having an open end and a partially closed end;

a. stationary contact post mounted in the partially closed end of the socket, an expansion coil spring disposed in the socket and having one of its ends connected to said post and secured thereby to the partially closed end of the socket, a clip, of conducting material, having a flat base and outwardly projecting lingers, said lingers being bentv 'at right angles;` intermediate of their ends, the terminal portions of said yfingers all projecting in the same direction from the base and being resilient and adapted to yieldably and i frictionally engage the metallic end of afluorescent lamp, a disk disposed onthe 'sidefof the base opposite to the side thereof from which said terminal portions project, and fastening moans connecting said base and disk, and the opposite end of the spring being clamped between the disk and base for detachably connecting the end of the lamp to the socket Contact post.

` HERMAN H. HEIDKAMPER, 

